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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge came to |
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an end with the death of eminent scientist and professor F. Gordon |
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A. Stone of Waco on April 6, 2011, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Gordon Stone was born on May 9, 1925, in Exeter, |
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England; he studied chemistry at Cambridge University, earning his |
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bachelor's degree in 1948 and his doctorate in 1952, and he went on |
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to serve as a postdoctoral assistant at the University of Southern |
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California under the Fulbright Program; he subsequently joined the |
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faculty of the chemistry department at Harvard University, |
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attaining the rank of assistant professor; and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1960s, Dr. Stone returned to England to |
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accept a post as the first chair of inorganic chemistry at Bristol |
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University, and his career there spanned nearly three decades; he |
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continued his teaching and research at Baylor University, which he |
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joined in 1990 as the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor of |
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Chemistry, before retiring at the age of 85 in 2010; and |
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WHEREAS, An internationally recognized expert in the field of |
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organometallic chemistry, Professor Stone coauthored more than 750 |
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primary scientific articles and gave lectures around the globe; he |
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was named one of the 100 most cited chemists in the world by the |
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Institute for Scientific Information; and |
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WHEREAS, Professor Stone was elected to the Royal Society, |
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London, in 1976, and in 1990 he was made a Commander of the Order of |
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the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth; in addition, he earned the |
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highest awards of the major academic chemical societies in Britain |
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and the United States, and he received a number of honorary degrees |
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from universities in Europe and North America; the American |
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Chemical Society published his scientific autobiography, Leaving |
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No Stone Unturned, in 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed gentleman enjoyed the love and support |
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of his wife, the former Judith Hislop, for 52 years until her death |
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in 2008; together they were blessed with three sons, James, Peter, |
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and Derek, as well as seven grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, When not traveling the world, Professor Stone and |
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his wife divided their time between their homes in Bristol, |
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England, and Waco; the couple were renowned for their warmth and |
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hospitality, frequently hosting guests for a meal or an overnight |
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stay; and |
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WHEREAS, Gordon Stone lived a life of extraordinary |
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achievement, and he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to |
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inspire all those who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of F. Gordon A. Stone |
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and extend sincere condolences to his family: to his sons, James, |
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Peter, and Derek Stone; to his seven grandchildren; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gordon |
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Stone. |